I Should Despise You
by TheSecretCharacter
Summary: AU! No magic! At Harry's new school, Ron is a punk rocker, Hermione is still a perfect student, and Draco is the object of his affection. PLEASE R&R! DMxHP SLASH!
1. Chapter One

A/N: Well hello, hello... How are you my loverly loverly fellow slash-readers... I'm writing this little AU Draco/Harry-

Draco: With the help of us, obviously...

Me: Yeah, so anyway it's probably gonna be longer than most of what I write-

Harry: Hey, why is everything that you write so short?

Me: It's because I like to get more reviews and people tend to not leave me reviews...:Sighs in sadness:

Harry: Aww... hey people review:Consoles me:

Draco: Give me attention!

Summery: Harry is new to a school where he makes some interesting friends and some even more intersting enemies. At the same time is is having to deal with discovering secrets about his family.

Disclaimer: The characters here do not belong to me. They are the property of JK Rowling and I'm simply borrowing them from her fpr the use of my non-profiting story.

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Harry Potter slowly walked down the stairs of his house, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his shoes untied. Lazily, he slumped into a chair in his kitchen and turned to his godfather, "Sirius, don't make me go to school. Just let me skip the first day, wont you?"

"Oh, quit your whining. Just because you're scared of the students at your new school doesn't mean you can ditch going all together," the handsome man responded, taking an energy bar out of a box on top of the refridgerator.

"Please, I am NOT 'afraid' of the students at Northbridge. Psh... afraid..." Harry said, rolling his eyes and folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine, then get to school or I'll have to wake Remus up to drive you and he just got back last night. Now GO!"

Sirius couldn't drive and Remus, Sirius's 'best friend' (for there was obviously something more there), had been on one of his short business trips the day before and was often asleep until noon on the days that followed his returns.

"Okay, I'm going. Gosh, keen to get rid of me I suppose..." and he left through the front door to his new school for his senior year, his godfather laughing playfully behind him.

Harry James Potter was the son of the deceased Lily and James Potter. The family was well known for their money and position as well as their assassination. Harry had been the only Potter left alive when the man referred to as Voldemort had killed every living relative he had. At the time he had been less than two years old and since then he had lived in several foster families until he had finally been tracked down by his father's best friends when he was fifteen. However, because of Remus's work, they had recently moved from London to Canterbury.

Harry's life and history held many mysteries that even he was oblivious to. Sirius and Remus however, were very aware of his curiosity as well as the answers to all of his questions. They simply thought it best to keep the truth from Harry though he was not certain as to why.

As Harry approached the school on foot, he vaguely wondered if there was any reason to be frightened of the students at the school. He was certainly afriad of going to school, though it was beyond him that it might perchance have something to do with the other teenagers that he was yet to encounter. He figured that he should mainly fit in, like he had at his last school. He dressed casually enough: dark blue jeans, not at all baggy though a bit long to the point that he rolled them up once, a very fitting gray shirt, and he wore his old trusty pair of black chucks that he had purchased long before they became popular again. His jet black hair was expectedly untidy but it never seemed to ensue a problem before so it didn't bother him at all. No, the only thing that ever bothered him about his appearence were his glasses and his lightning bolt-shaped scar.

Upon entering the gates of the school he walked straight to the office to recieve the uniform that they had assured him he needed to buy on the first day of school. As he passed by students on the campus, he could tell that they knew he was new. After all, everyone else was in their uniforms, which Harry happened to notice fit each person differently, though initially intended to look the same. Some of the girls wore plaid skirts, others wore gray skirts, and still other were dressed gray pants. He could easily see from the guys that pants were a must, though a few wore shorts, which he could see were rather unattractive. Many of the girls wore their shirts a bit to high from the stomach or else unbuttoned their shirts to their vests to reveal an eyeful of chest from the V-necked collar. He would have liked to speculate longer (at the wardrobe, mind you) if it had not been for a distraction that seemed to signal that he was finally at the office.

"Honestly!" shrieked an unidentified woman in the office as a boy that looked Harry's age slid out of the office and into to the small hall that was ajoined to it, "This is one of the best rated schools in the country and it's students like yourself, Mr. Weasley, that put our school in jeapordy of loosing that position!"

The boy looked at Harry and smiled. "She di'in like m' pants very much," he whispered. He turned to the door and called in, "They're only pants, after all and they are school colors an' evr'ything!" And indeed, his pants were of the same plaid material as the girls' skirts, though they were tighter than regular pants. At closer inspection of the boy, Harry was not horrified to see them on him. He had shocking red hair that had been died an unnatural red in several places, upon his school jacket he had sewed patches that had band names on them and band and protest pins ran down his untucked shirts as opposed to buttons. Harry very much would have liked to say he looked more than a bit like Johnny Rotten.

"I'm Ron by the way, and I a'spect you managed to get my last name out of all that rubbage she was throwing at me," he held out his hand but then quickly withdrew it before Harry could take his out at all. "Harry! It's so good to see you here and in such good health!" he said.

Harry was more than a little confused and Ron could obviously tell.

"Ha, they were just talking about the new kid, Harry Potter, in the office. Figured it must be you. Oh gosh, it is isnt's it? I mean you are, right? That'd be funny if you weren't," he added with a laugh.

"Oh, yeah. Yes, I am."

"Well, Harry, hope ya don' mind me calling you 'Harry', Harry, but I hope you like Northbridge, though I doubt you will-"

"Mr. Weasley! Get to class before I give you another detention," a woman with graying auburn hair through tight lips poked her head through the doorway, "Mr. Potter, please don't mind him. Come in to the office; I expect you are looking to buy your uniform."

The older woman retreated back into the office and Ron smiled over at Harry. "That's professor McGonagall," said Ron, "She's not so bad, jus' a bit strict. Anyway, I bes' be off to class. See ya later, Harry!"

Harry didn't watch him walk down the hall but instead walked into the office. Professor McGonagall was at a desk marked 'Headmistress' and was evidentally looking for something. She looked up at Harry as he entered and she seemed to force the shadow of a smile to her lips. "I'm just looking for your timetable, Mr. Potter, ah... here it is, yes." She handed him the small paper. Harry took it from her and then bought three pairs of trousers, three white, long-sleeved button-down shirts and two short-sleeved ones, two gray V-necked sweaters, navy and red striped ties, and a navy school blazer that had the school crest on the right breast pocket.

After changing in the office lavatory into a pair of trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, and a tie, he returned to the desk that Professor McGonagall was sitting at. "Erm... Professor, could you tell me where my locker is at?"

"Where your locker IS." It was not a question and Harry was confused, "I'm an English teacher, Mr. Potter. There is not supposed to be an 'at' ending that sentence. It is locker 418, in the main building, here's the combination. The schedule today is 1-3-5-7. Have a nice day."

Harry stared at her for a second, then left to the main building. Upon entering it, he noticed that the halls were empty as everyone was in class and they were lined with beige lockers. Everything was beige: the floors, the walls, the doors, the drinking fountains. He walked up and down each hall looking for locker number 418. He had just found it and was stuffing all the clothes he had bought in it when he heard a gruff and elderly voice behind him. Harry quickly turned around to face an old and shrivled man with leathery skin and thin, greasy long hair. He appeared to be a custodian for he was wearing a navy one-peice suit and was carrying a broom. A tag on his shoulder said 'Filch'.

"Ay, why aren't you in class, you bloody hooligan?"

"Err... I'm new here, I was just putting my stuff in my locker..." Harry said softly.

"Was' your name, boy?"

"Harry Potter..."

The man eyed him suspiciously then walked away akwardly. Harry put his backpack in his locker but took out his binder and a pen. After closing his locker, he looked at his timetable and noted that he had French, History, Philosophy, and then Chemistry that day. Quickly, Harry walked to the room number that his timetable indicated and slowly opened the door to his French classroom.

The class looked at him as he walked in, as did the teacher.

"Bonjour! Accueillir au français, you must be Harry Potter. I'm Professor Flitwick." He was a very small man with white balding hair and a very big smile, "Please, have a seat. Anywhere is fine."

As he looked around the class for a place to sit, a pug-faced girl moved her purse onto the empty seat next to her, but in the back of the room a bushy-haired girl moved her purse off of the seat next to her. Harry made his way back to the empty seat and and sat down next to the girl. She had bucked-teeth and was dressed exactly to dress code standards with a gray skirt and even a tie. She smiled politely at him and then whispered, "I'm Hermione Granger, it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise, I'm Harry Potter."

"I know," she said kindly.

They didn't talk again until the end of the period when the bell rang. "My boyfriend, Ron, said he met you."

Harry thought for a second. 'She couldn't mean the Ron that I met this morning.' Harry realized he was being stereotypical in thinking that she didn't look his type (besides a number of animal mistreatment protest pins that were neatly lined under the school crest on her blazer), as there was only one Ron that he had met.

"Er, yeah I did. He was a nice guy."

"Oh, good, then he wasn't horrible to you?"

"No, not at all."

"Thank goodness. What class do you have next?"

"Erm..." Harry checked his timetable, "History with Binns"

"Me too, and so does Ron."

They walked to class together and she told them about how she had been new three years previously and how she knows just how he feels. She was a friendly girl, Harry concluded but as he saw Ron, he again thought it strange that the two were an item.

Professor Binns was so old that he looked as if he should have been dead, he was pale and wrinkly and looked like he was asleep while he drawled on about the past that he looked to have been part of. The class was as boring as hell and he would have fallen asleep had Hermione not been bickering next to him for Ron to take notes ("I'm not going to be able to help you during Finals!").

His next class was Philosophy with Professor Trelawny. Ron was taking that class as well and said that Hermione refused to because she couldn't understand it. Though, she said that she simply thought it was 'a load of rubbish'. The teacher was certainly one to give off that impression though. She was covered in jewelry and shawls and her eyes looked huge behind her big glasses. To say the least, the class was definately different than Harry expected.

Following the third block would usually be lunch, but as it was the first day of school, an assembly was being held in the auditorium. Harry would have liked to walk there and sit with his new friends but he first had to put his school things in his locker. He said that he woud meet them there and then headed in the direction of his locker. It was on his way there that a boy who looked to be his age bumped into him.

"Oh, er, sorry..." said the boy, who had a voice that was some-what arrogant. He had white-blonde hair and a pale pointed face. His clothes were much like Hermione's in the way that they seemed to be exactly to dress code: his shirt was tucked in and his tie was on straight, his pants were ironed and his shoes were polished. He looked as if he had walked out of a catalogue. Harry blushed. The boy was also very attractive.

"It's okay," Harry said quietly, looking at the floor.

"Hey, you're new here aren't you?" Asked the boy. Harry looked up into his silver eyes briefly.

"Yeah I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

The boy paused a moment, though Harry was unsure why. Then he responded, "I'm Draco Malfoy. You may have heard of me."

"Or perhaps not."

"W-well, it's been nice talking to you but I really have to put my things in my locker. Y'know, it's my first day and I shouldn't be late to the assembly." Harry was feeling very nervous.

"Oh, yeah... I'll see you around then."

"Yeah..." Harry whispered as the boy walked away.

Harry finally got to the auditorium and sat alone since he could find neither Ron nor Hermione. An old man with a long white beard and twinkling eyes took center stage behind a podium.

"Welcome to another year at Northbridge. To all students new to the school, I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster. Please feel free to drop by my office at any time, hopefully of your own accord," he smiled, "Now I have a few start of term announcements to make..." Harry tuned out and turned his attention to the rest of the students in the crowd, he couldn't find any of the few poeple he knew. From what Harry did listen to of the Headmaster's speech, it was just a bunch of obvious rules and regulations. However, he did catch Dumbledore say something like that he hoped the school year would be different than previous years and that old differences could be left behind.

As soon as the assembly ended, students began filing out of the gym to lunch. Harry stayed in his seat, hoping to see either Ron or Hermione walk by. After most everyone had left though, he finally decided to make his way to the lunch area. It was easy enough to find as he only had to follow the other students.

Tons of benches lay scattered along a large blacktop. They were not arranged in any particular way; in fact, they looked as if the students had moved them themselves. There were four clumps of benches. At the end of the blacktop were about ten benches, all close together, a few closer than others. Beside those benches, not too close, were only about five benches and many people were seated on the ground. Next to those, though a bit of a distance away, was a circle of about another ten benches and after those, on the other end of the blacktop were two benches and a grassy hill with a tree that started as soon as the blacktop ended.

Harry stood in the middle, wondering where he was supposed to sit. Luckily, he didn't have to chose for himself. He turned to look at the side of the blacktop that held the ten messy tables where he had heard his name. "Oi mate! Over here!" Ron's freckled face was smiling at him.

Harry quickly made his way over to the tables that Ron had called for him from. He was sitting with a large group of friends and more people were sitting around them. Silently, Harry sat down across from Ron and Hermione and next to a boy with a round face and brown hair. Many of the people around him looked much like Ron as far as their choice of wardrobe was concerned. Their shirts were untucked and many of them had pinned things to them or to their sweatshirts or blazers, some of them had patches on their skirts or pants and some had tightened their pants a great deal, and several of them had put tears in their clothes. They all looked very different from eachother in many ways. More than a few of them had their hair dyed a strange color. Though among them, some were dressed quite normal and others had a style all of their own. Harry noticed that Hermione was the only one that was dressed completely different from the others though. No one else looked quite as... proper.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," said the boy seated next to Harry. He was one of the more normal looking of the group with only a simple shirt and a pair of gray trousers.

Harry shook his hand, "Harry Potter."

Harry was also introduced to Ron's little sister, Ginny, who was wearing a plaid skirt and a pair of fishnet stockings, Dean Thomas, who looked like the artsy type with several different colored patches in his black hair and many colorful writbands, Seamus Finnigan, an irish boy with liberty spikes who seemed to like the band Flogging Molly a great deal, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, who were both poets and expressed it in the artistic way they wore their clothing, and Collin Creevey who was very quiet and very into Goth music such as the Sisters of Mercy. Harry was very suprised by the wide variety of clothing this group of people wore.

Ron pulled out a CD player and began listening to music while Hermione scolded him that he would get in trouble. He handed the CD player to Harry so that Harry could listen to them. They were called the Subhumans and he said that if Harry had heard of the Sex Pistols then they sounded a bit like that.

The song was called 'No' and Harry liked it quite a lot. He listened to some more of the CD before giving it back to Ron. Then he asked, "So tell be about these groups at your school..."

Ron was eager to explain. "Well it's like this: We're sorta the types that people don't wanna hang 'round. Dunno why but they seem t'think that we're a bit weird or somethin'. I guess we are though," he glanced at Lavender and Parvati, "but as you can see we're all very different. Then over there at that circle are all the smart asses. 'Cept Hermione, she's over here." Hermione gave him a shove and a glare, "Wha'? It's true, you're not over there! Anyway, their all smart and stuff and this lot, right here with most of them on the ground, are some of the stupid ones and some of the ok grade ones and just the weirdos, y'know? I dunno..."

He paused, "And those sons of bitches over there," Ron pointed to the other end of the blacktop to the hill where there was a large number of students sitting while a few were on the benches, "All those brown-nosed assholes are the stuck-up rich bastards who practically run this damn school. That's them, those neat and tidy ones with thier shirts tucked in and their hair combed back, they're the ones who are gonna get it even worse this year-"

"Ron, stop cursing so much and stop thinking up evil plans for those foul people," cut in Hermione.

Harry was still looking over at the students that Ron had spoken so terribly of.

"I hate them, the whole bloody school hates them, and they hate us all back. Unless you're rich, you're not good enough for them. Unless you wanna bow down and kiss their toes. Look at them, staring at us like we're dirt," for many of them were looking in thir direction, "I'm sick of it... and I'm not putting up with Malfoy's shit this year..."

"Malfoy?" Harry suddenly asked.

"Yeah... that one at the top of the hill trying to look like some king."

Harry's stomach dropped. It was him... the cute guy he had run into earlier. Draco Malfoy's gaze shifted and he was staring at Harry. Their eyes stayed focused upon eachother before Malfoy gave Harry a look that clearly stated, 'You've chosen your place and now you're trash.' Harry went back to talking with them about some bands and realized when the bell rang that he hadn't eaten a thing.

When lunch ended, Harry went to Chemisry, which he had with neither Ron nor Hermione but Neville was in his class. For some reaosn Neville kept biting his nails and seemed very nervous all the way to the Chemistry classroom, in the basement of the school.

As they made their way into the class, several people rudely pushed my them. Harry turned around to see who they were and found himself looking at several of the 'rich bastards' Ron had warned him about. Among them was Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy alone though, took time to deliver him a dirty look before sitting down at the front of the class. Harry and Neville took a seat in the back of the room and watched as more people entered, including Dean and Seamus. They sat down near them just before the final bell rang and the teacher swept into the class.

Professor Snape was a creepy looking man. He had black greasy hair and dressed in only black so his pale face contrasted greatly with the rest of him. As the class began, Harry realized he was going to be in for a tough year.

As soon as Snape began talking Harry knew why Neville had been frightened. He was a mean man who seemed to favor the students seated at the front. And he seemed to hate Harry. On the very first day he

chose Harry out of the whole rest of the class to answer a couple question that he would obviously not know as he hadn't yet taken the class. He embarassed Harry in front of everyone when he couldn't answer any of them correctly. The last thing he said, before the class was desmissed was, "You'll find that you will have to work a lot harder at Northbridge than I'm sure you are used to, Mr. Potter."

After school Harry went straight home and was in such a bad mood that he snapped at Sirius when he got in the house.

"How was the first day?" He had asked.

"Wonderful! If you think that making friends with a bunch of weirdos, getting on a teacher's bad side, and for some reason beyond me, becoming an enemy to the only good-looking person in the whole bloody school is a good 'ol time, then it was splended!" And he stormed off to his room.

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A/N: I hope you liked it! I'll update as soon as I can, though there is no way it will be even near this long. Just to clear some stuff up (people usually have to do that with AU's), Hagrid will most likely not appear in this story because he bugs me, I'm sorry if I spelled that French stuff wrong but I dont know the language, I used a translator, and I'm putting Cho Chang in Harry's year because I want to. Also, you may have noticed that I used an American school system. I dont know why, it was just easier but the school is still grades 1-7 (Hogwarts style) aka 6-12 (in America).

Draco: Ramble much?

Me: Oh, shut up...

Harry: Oh, I hope they review... I think I'll be even more sad and depressed if they don't...

Draco: Well I hope that that they do too but I wont cry or anything... Malfoy's never cry.

Harry: Leave a review if you want to see Draco and me make out!


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: That was kinda fast wasn't it? Okay, not quite fast enough. I'm soo happy with all the reviews that I got, you guys are great.

Harry: YAY YOU REVIEWED!

Draco: He may love you guys more than me now...

Harry: Oh, never! I love you far too much, Draco.

Me: Not yet, you guys! You're supposed to resent each others' existence!

Harry and Draco: Hurry up then!

Me: Anywho, a BIG HUGE thanks to those of you who reviewed:BOLD THIS PART: abbie, AmethystxX (yes, it is Harry/Draco), Arys (I love your idea and I'm definitely taking your advice), Ashes of Stars, chiligurl, DanishGirl, fudgebaby (I hope all my chapters will be acceptable lengths), lita-2003, LUCKYSTAR14 (10 house points to you for being such a doll, thanx!), melanie2180/9 (FINALLY!), Neolina (double thanks to you!), Nyoka Li, RabbidChicken (Ha, you have to earn plushies m'luv, but you can have house points for now!), TysonFoxflame, and to those of you who just put me on your AA list.

Disclaimer: I can not take responsibility for the wonderful world of Harry Potter. JK Rowling owns all of these characters.

Harry was on his bed tossing a lacrosse ball up at his ceiling when he heard a knock at his door.

"C'min."

Remus opened the door and poked his head into the room. There were still a couple boxes that Harry had not yet unpacked but other than that, it was relatively clean, though a bit bare. "Dinner's ready," said Remus softly.

"Not hungry," grumbled Harry, continuing to throw the ball up and then catching it.

Remus walked into the room and closed the door behind him. "I heard your day wasn't too great. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly, but if you must know, I was in a perfectly okay mood until my last class."

"I certainly don't mind listening if you do want to discuss it," Remus said sitting down on Harry's bed next to him. "I know that starting at a new school isn't easy Harry, and you aren't going to like all of your classes."

"I know. I'm not stupid," Harry said quietly. He wasn't trying to be rude, he simply wasn't in the mood for hearing what he already knew.

"I don't know what happened in your last class but laying on your bed sulking is not going to improve things at all. But you might feel a little better if you came downstairs to eat with Sirius and me," Remus tried.

Harry sat up and put the lacrosse ball on his dresser. "Okay, you win," he said, but he wasn't being playful. The two walked out of his room and down the stairs to the dining room. Harry was greeted by the smell of Remus's great cooking: Roasted chicken, homemade stuffing, peaches, and marmalade. He silently sat at the table with his two guardians, not touching his food. The table was quiet and still until Harry finally said, "Professor Snape is an asshole."

"Snape?" Sirius asked sharply, looking at Harry with confusion and an expression like he wanted Harry to elaborate.

"Yesss..." said Harry slowly, a bit confused himself with Sirius's interest, "He's my Chemistry teacher..."

"What the hell is he teaching-" he stopped mid-sentence and Harry had the distinct impression that it was not only Remus's scowling stare that stopped him. Sure enough, Remus had put a hand on Sirius's leg to quiet him.

"Do you know him?" Harry questioned.

Remus spoke up, "Well, it may have been a different 'Snape' but we do know of a rather unfriendly person with the same name."

"Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same guy." Harry said, starting to eat, "This one's got a problem with me for some reason. Pisses me off..."

Sirius looked angry, "I can talk to him if you want, Harry. I can go in and set him straight..."

"Nah, he'd just hate me even more. It just bugs me that he hates me just 'cause I'm new."

"Just 'cause you're new..." Sirius echoed.

Harry looked up at him, "What, you think he knows that I know you? Were you a jerk to him or something Sirius?" Harry smiled.

"No, I mean, no... no," Sirius said quickly "I mean, it's probably a different 'Snape', like Remy said."

Harry continued eating, staring at Sirius and Remus in turn, feeling that something wasn't being said. "I made some friends..." he said through a mouthful of food.

"Oh, and do you like them?" Remus asked.

"Well, they're nice and all, a real cheerful bunch. But you see, they're kinda... odd. I dunno, they're just really different. Very influential though. Just being around them, I feel myself changing. But I guess they're pretty cool."

"Well that's great! You should invite some of them over for dinner." Remus suggested.

"Or you could throw a party!" Sirius's face lit up.

"That'd be cool. But I should probably get to know a few more people first..." A party, great idea.

Remus didn't contribute to their brief conversation about the party.

As dinner was nearing it's end, Sirius started a whole new conversation, "Somewhere in that rant earlier," Sirius figured that the table was far less tense and Harry was in a much better mood so it was safe to bring it up "I heard something about a certain person you might have a thing for at your school, right?" Sirius had a wicked smile on his face.

"You did, but it's stupid. I don't have a thing for anyone..."

Sirius ignored this, "Maybe you could invite her to the party, y'know, take her up to your bedroom..."

"Sirius!" Remus scolded.

"I only meant for a good snog, of course. Please, Harry wouldn't do anything more, especially if she's pissed..."

"And why would she be intoxicated at a high school party?" Remus asked sternly.

Sirius chose to ignore the question and directed his next statement to Harry, "You should invite her."

Harry paused, taking a last bite. "Actually, I don't think I would invite them considering they're more than a bit blinkered and a blooming pain in the arse from what I can see!"

Remus and Sirius stared at him for a moment.

"I'd just rather not talk about it..." The truth was that Harry didn't like to talk about it when they thought it was a girl he was speaking of. He retreated to his room and went to bed early.

Meanwhile, after finishing up the dishes, Remus and Sirius went into Sirius's bedroom to talk about Harry and their discussion over dinner.

"So do you think it's him, Remus? I mean, how many other Snape's could be teaching there?"

"Of course it is, just look at the subject he's teaching... Think of all those things he made back in school... the explosives he was rumored to be experimenting with in his room..."

"We should have Harry switch schools... This was a bad idea..."

"Do have any idea how suspicious that would look to Harry? I'm sure he's plenty suspicious already."

"Remus, we sent Harry to the school that was ground zero to numerous murders, including those of his parents. How long do you think it will be before he finds out on his own?"

Remus stared quietly at the ground. "The school has tried and succeeded to cover that up for years. If Harry finds out... then I suppose it will be the right time."

An awkward silence followed these words, finally broken when Sirius characteristically changed the subject. "Harry was acting weird tonight."

"It's not the first time he's been like this..."

"What do you mean?"

Remus sighed, "I simply mean that I've noticed whenever he talks about someone that he has an attraction to, he gets more... testy than usual."

"So, you think he feels weird talking about girls with us?" Sirius was somewhat offended, "We're supposed to be open about that stuff! We've talked about it before! We're cool-"

"Sirius, didn't you hear him?" Remus raised his voice to be heard over Sirius's ramblings"I've been thinking about it for some time now. Did you hear the pronouns he was using? It's so obvious because I did the same thing..."

Sirius was silent, confusion spread across his face.

"Them, they, they're! Do you see it now?"

"There's more than one? Is that it?"

Remus breathed heavily, "He's gay! He's gay, Sirius! That's why he hasn't been with any girls or even talked about them and why he doesn't like to discuss little 'crushes'. That's why he was totally checking out that guy in the mall the other day... Oh, my gosh..."

Another awkward silence.

"Nah! He would have told us... He's just not used to having these kinds of feelings for anyone! But it's not a guy... Harry is _not _gay... he would have told us..."

"Sirius," Remus said as he walked out of Sirius's bedroom, "You watch and see. I just wish Harry knew that we have absolutely no problem with it."

Harry's second day at school was much like the first. He still had four more classes to attend and he was filled with more than a little trepidation going to them considering how his other classes had been. His classes, however, were not nearly as bad as his Chemistry class was. First, he had Home Ec. with Professor Sprout. They were going to be learning about herbal cooking for the first quarter. Besides himself and Neville, there were nearly no guys in that class, but Lavender and Parvati were in it. After that, he and Neville went to English with Professor McGonagall and he was happy to see that Ron and Hermione were in his class as well. Harry's impression of Professor McGonagall did not waver after her class and it seemed that none of his friends had either a negative or positive opinion of her.

All together, Harry was an okay student, but he had a natural talent for math. Following English he headed over to Professor Vector's Math Excel with Hermione. The class was the hardest that the school offered in the Math department, so naturally he was in a room full of smart students. In fact, the only students that Ron had not labeled as 'Smart-asses' the previous day were Hermione, himself, and two of the rich kids. One of them was someone that Harry had very much intended to avoid as much as possible: Draco Malfoy.

Hermione sighed loudly and said exasperatedly, "Of, course..."

Harry avoided the corner of the room where Malfoy and a boy with black hair were sitting and quietly sat next to a pretty Asian girl with black hair. She turned to him smiling, and then smiling even more when she saw who he was."Hi! I'm Cho Chang. You're new here aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," Harry said, tired of answering the question, "I'm Harry Potter."

"Well, it's certainly nice to meet you," she responded, batting her eye-lashes, "If there's anything that you need-"

"Then he'll tell me," Hermione said in a surprisingly mean voice.

Cho Chang threw Hermione a typical girl look that clearly stated that she disliked her and then turned to her friend who had strawberry-blonde hair to continue a conversation.

"You should probably try to avoid her," Hermione was saying, "She likes to play with guys for a little bit, and then let them go when she's done with them."

Harry nodded, sure that he wouldn't get caught in her trap.

Throughout the whole class Harry found himself looking at Draco Malfoy, not paying attention at all, so he was genuinely surprised when Professor Vector walked to his desk to ask that he stop day-dreaming. The class snickered at him, especially those damned rich kids. Draco sneered at Harry, whispering something to his friend with the black hair.

As soon as the class had ended Harry picked up his books and stormed out of the classroom. He was so upset with himself for not paying attention in class. He went out to the lunch area and sat down with Ron, who was already there.

"Sumfin rawn?" Ron asked through his mouthful of peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Ugh… just that Malfoy."

Ron swallowed, eager to talk about his hate for Malfoy, "Wha'd he do?"

"Just laughed at me."

"That's it?" Harry nodded. "Well, you'll have to get used to it. He laughs at pretty much everyone. Sadistic, he is…"

Harry wanted to say, "Well, it's different because I think he's dead sexy," but wisely decided against it. Instead he shifted the conversation to something else. "My godfather reckons I should throw a party."

Ron's eyes lit up, "Oh, you have to! You have t' understand Harry, that by being friends with me, you'll be going to parties all the time. This is great, it's gotta be big…"

Harry left Ron to his fantasies about the party as Hermione sat down with her lunch. "You left so quickly, Harry. I couldn't even walk with you to lunch." She smiled.

"Sorry… just I was kinda upset."

"I understand," she said, then looked at Ron's lunch, sniffed disapprovingly, and muttered to herself, "Torturing chickens and supporting the veal industry…"

Ron stopped talking and immediately snapped, "I'm sorry, but I'm hungry and I've already become vegetarian. What do you expect from me Hermione?"

Hermione just glared and then began eating her vegetables and fruit that were in tupperware bowls.

Harry turned to Ron, quite confused. Ron understood and answered his unasked question, "She's vegan. It's why she comes with me to all the straightedge concerts, she likes to promote veganism. Though, half the people at those concerts are already vegan."

Harry nodded, though not knowing what 'straightedge' meant.

"So about this party, how many people are you planning on inviting?" Ron asked him.

"I dunno… as many as will come." Harry responded.

Ron smiled widely.

"But I want to get to know people first, I mean, more people…" Harry said quickly.

Ron stood up and yanked Harry up with him, "Okay, then that's what we'll do right now!" He introduced Harry to a few more of the people by their table: Denis Creevey (a miniature of his gothic older brother, wearing a black 'Bauhaus' t-shirt), Eloise Midgen (a quiet girl with a lot of pimples), and a few others. Then Ron brought Harry over to where some of the students sat on the ground and Seamus tagged along, singing "…'cause we find ourselves in the same old mess, Singin' drunken lullabies," under his breath, which Harry guessed was a Flogging Molly song, as Ron said, "He's obsessed with Flogging Molly…"

The students on the ground all looked completely normal, but Harry had to admit that only about half of them were. The other half looked stoned out of their minds. Harry introduced him to some of the more sober-looking ones: Ernie MacMillan, Hanna Abbott, Susane Bones, and a few others. They were all a happy bunch, and very friendly to Harry.

After that, Harry was taken over to where all the smart students sat in their circle. Ron walked him around the circle, talking to some people and introducing him to a few of them: Padma Patil (Parvati's identical twin, though they were very different), Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Su Li, Cho Chang (who batted her eye-lashes at him again).

They headed back to their table, Ron saying that he suspected Harry didn't want to be introduced to any slimy gits that were on the hill. He was right.

As soon as the bell sounded, Harry headed to his locker to put away his things. He had just finished the combo and opened it when somebody slammed it shut it his face. He turned to his right to see the boy with black hair from his math class leaning against the other lockers. Around him were about six of his friends.

The boy looked at Harry smugly, smirking slightly. Then he said in a falsely friendly voice, "Ah, yes, Harry Potter: the new kid on campus… What a pleasure it is to meet you… I'm Blaise Zabini and this is Vincent Crabbe and Greggory Goyle," he pointed to two large boys who looked like gorillas, "Hopefully you wont have to get to know them too well," he sneered and Harry knew precisely what he meant. Harry was now determined to stay out of their way. The rest of the group circled around him and his stomach dropped when he saw Malfoy among them. What was even worse was that he had the pug-face girl from his French class wrapped around his arm. Harry's mood went from bad to worse. She wasn't even pretty.

She obviously saw him glaring at her because she spoke up, "I'm Pansy Parkenson and don't even think about talking to me… I assure you that I have no time for small talk with people like you." Harry hated her already. Her voice was like a screech (though not so loud) and her face grew long when she talked.

Blaise spoke next, and his words were directed to Draco, "You've been quiet Draco…" The way he said it wiped away the original idea he had that Blaise was the 'leader'. He talked to Draco with respect and so Harry got the distinct impression that he was the one in charge, not Blaise.

"I've already met him, under unfortunate circumstance if I do say so myself," he say snottily. He flung Parkenson's arm off him with something close to disgust, Harry noted with happiness, but then rounded on Harry, moving in closer so that they were face to face. "You see, he clumsily bumped into me yesterday in the hall. But it won't be happening again, will it Potter?"

Harry was nervous enough to just say 'no' but he was pissed off. "I bumped into you? Me? Well let me tell you something, Mr. I'm-So-High-and-Mighty: I don't care how other people view you, I just see you as some rich brat who thinks he can push everyone around. It was you who bumped into me yesterday, so don't try to pin the blame for that 'unfortunate' experience on me!"

Draco paused, eyebrows raised but smirk set in place. He calmly stated, "I think you'll soon have to find your place with an attitude like that. Otherwise you may be put in it by force."

"Whatever…" Harry pushed through them, forgetting about putting his books in his locker, knuckles cracking behind him. He would just take them to his PE class.

In that class, some people purchased new gym clothes but Harry chose not to. He was thinking about going out for a sport instead of taking the class. He hung out with Ron and Dean. When he presented the question about the sports try-outs at the school Ron shuddered, "I hate sports, mate. Ask Dean, he does soccer."

"What sport do you wanna go out for?" Dean asked him.

"Lacrosse, for sure," Harry answered.

The other two boys looked at each other in a way that Harry was getting tired of seeing. Everyone knew stuff that he didn't.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothin'," replied Dean, "The try-outs are on Friday."

"Good, then I have plans for Friday."

Ron recovered from a moment of silence he had experienced, "Well you haven't got plans today. We're going shopping!"

Yay! It was still kinda long! I'm so happy it's done. I'll try and get the next chapter up sooner. Time to clear more stuff up. Su Li is a real character, she just hasn't been mentioned in any of the books. JK Rowling (bless her soul) did create her though. Another thing, I'm really sorry about all the mistakes in the last chapter but I didn't have a spell-check. Ummm… I guess just leave me a review.

Draco: No the review would be for us.

Me: Okay. Leave a review for Draco and Harry.


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: I know, I know… I took too long getting this chapter out. Well, when you consider that it could have taken me a couple months, it really wasn't so bad. Anywho, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks to:

DanishGirl: You guessed it!

Driven to Insanity: Thank you! I hope I fixed most of it…

Fefs: Aww, thanks! Hugs back! Here have a plushie! Who do you want?

Jade: Draco and Harry say 'hi' back!

Kiki: Thanx for the review!

Melbutt: Muwaha, I should put an autistic kid in here, huh? Thanks for reviewing you lousy… mean-o head!

MilliKilo: Lacrosse is sort of like field hockey and it's played with a net-ish thing at the end of the stick. Thanks for reviewing!

Neolina: Gursh, thank you. Am I blushing?

Non-Descriptive-Person1: I hope you like it! Thank you!

Valentines-Hater: You're only last cuz I'm going in alphabetical order. Thank you thank you thank you, though!

PLEASE REVIEW THIS CHAPTER TOO!

Harry and Ron left school together after PE and headed towards Harry's house, which wasn't too far away from Ron's, it turned out. Harry needed to get money for the mall and he wanted to introduce Ron to his guardians.

"Sirius? Remus?" Harry called when they entered the house, "I'm home…momentarily…"

Sirius came out of his bedroom and Remus came down the stairs. Both of their faces split into grins when they saw Harry's friend.

"Oh Harry, who's this?" Remus asked happily.

"This is Ron," answered Harry as Ron reached out to shake hands with Remus, "And Ron, this is Remus, and that's Sirius."

Sirius walked over to them to shake hands with Ron. Harry was a bit surprised to see that neither of them were offended by Ron's choice of wardrobe in the least bit. "Nice t' meet you, Ron," Sirius said enthusiastically.

"We're going shopping, can I have some money?"

"Psh… always asking for money, you are…" Sirius rolled his eyes, but it was obvious that he was joking. He pulled out a wad of money from his pocket and handed Harry a couple of notes.

"Thanks Sirius…" Harry smiled, "Anyway, I'll be back soon, 'kay?"

"Call if you need one of us to pick you up," Remus told him.

"A'right!" Harry called while the door closed behind him.

"Wow, you are so lucky that you get to live with cool people Harry…" Ron said with jealousy.

"Yeah, I know. They're like my uncles in a way, but then sometimes it just feels like they're friends I get to live with. We're pretty close," Harry said, "They were best friends with my dad when they were in school."

"Where's your dad and mum?" Ron asked with innocent intentions.

"They were murdered when I was really little."

"Oh…er…sorry…."

"Don't be! I don't even remember them."

"Still… I'm sorry mate…" It was the most serious he had seen Ron so far.

They walked to Ron's house and Harry noticed that from the outside it appeared quite small and shabby. However, when they got inside, he was surprised by how perfectly home-like and cozy it was. Ron's mother came down the stairs to greet them with a huge smile. She scolded Ron quickly for not finishing his chores the previous day and then turned to Harry to pull him into a big hug.

"You must be Harry! It's so nice to meet you," She beamed, "Ron told me about you and I'm so glad I could see you so soon!"

"Mum, make me sound obsessed with him, why don't you?"

Another voice said with a chuckle, "Oh yes, Ron just rants on about you Harry! We can't shut him up…"

"This is Charlie, Harry. He's my oldest brother," Ron nodded to a man who also red hair, and had just come from a door that seemed to lead to the basement, "He's on vacation from Romania where he works with animals."

Harry and Charlie shook hands as another figure entered from the stairs.

"Don't forget t' introduce me, Ron," said a tall man who resembled Ron a bit more because of his eccentric wardrobe. He was wearing a leather jacket and leather boots and his long red hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"This is my other brother, Bill. He lives with us for now." Harry and Bill shook hands. Harry had the decency not to blush but he thought that Bill was rather attractive.

"Nice t' meet ya. Harry, right?" Harry nodded, "Where's Gin, Ron?"

"Still at school," Ron responded, "Anyway, Mum, I'm gonna go to the mall with Harry. I already got money and I'll be back soon."

"How are you getting there?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Er…I was hoping Bill or Charlie could drive us…"

"I'll do it," said Bill, sounding as if he really didn't want to, but he was smiling.

They got into Bill's car and as soon as he turned it on, music blasted through the speakers. Bill quickly turned it down and apologized.

"Aww, turn it up! I like this song," Ron whined, "This is the Buzzcocks, Harry. They're an old old band."

Harry thought that the band was pretty good and they listened to a couple of songs on the cassette tape before Bill switched it to a CD called Vice Squad. Vice Squad had a female singer so it surprised Harry that they were a punk rock band. They had a very political message that they seemed keen to get across and Harry thought that they did it rather well.

They got to the mall and waved good-bye to Bill. "You have cool people in your family too. I would love to have an older brother…" Harry remarked enviously.

"Try having five older brothers and you wouldn't think it was so great," Ron said as they walked through the glass doors to the mall, greeted by the cool air-conditioning.

"Five!"

"Yeah, you can meet two more while we're here. They work at the joke shop."

Ron and Harry walked through the mall, looking through the windows until they got to the joke shop called 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'. "That's a tongue-twister," said Harry quietly as they entered the store.

"Welcome," said a voice behind him. Harry jumped and turned around to look at yet another redheaded boy. He was considerably shorter than Ron was, less thin, though his face was splayed with freckles as was the rest of Ron's family.

"Erm…hi, are you Ron's brother?"

"No, that would be me," said another voice from the direction Harry had previously been facing. Harry spun around to face… the exact same person. He looked back over his shoulder again and then back at the person in front of him… he was beginning to think it was part of the place being a joke shop when it hit him that they must be twins. Obviously his realization showed because both twins cracked incredibly friendly grins.

"Oi!" Ron called from a bit further in the store, "Fred, George, how've ya been?" Ron smiled as he walked over to them. "Harry, this is Fred, and this is George. They're my other two brothers."

"Nice to meet ya, Harry. Hope ickle Ronnie's not been too much of a trouble," said the one Ron had said was Fred. Both twins laughed and Ron's ears turned pink.

"Y'know, it's not a good idea to harass your customers," Ron stated.

"Aw, come off it Ron, we were on'y joking," said the other twin, George.

"Anyway, have a look around, Harry. I dare say you'll find something you find more interesting than Ronnie-kins," Fred winked but got an elbow in the stomach from Ron.

Harry looked around the shop as the three redheads argued. It wasn't like any other joke shops he had been into. Sure, they had stink-bombs and invisible ink, but they also had firecrackers, and pellets that did multiple different things to the one who ate them, and they had books that electrocuted you when you opened them. Harry found it quite entertaining and he bought some powder that gave who ever ate it bad gas for an hour. Harry fancied the idea of putting some in Remus's coffee.

Ten minutes later, they left the store, Ron more than a little eager to get away from his older brothers. "They're barmy, the both of 'em," he commented on his brothers, "But they're the most successful of the whole family. They actually dropped out of school just to start that shop and it's been doing great ever since."

"Don't you have one other brother?"

"Yeah, just Percy, but no one talks about him 'cause he just left one day and we never really heard from him…at all. Dad knows where he is an' everything, but they never talk. He insulted the whole family… thinks he's too good for us."

Harry nodded, "Sorry, 'bout that…"

"Eh, it's nothing really."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before stopping in front of a CD store.

Ron spoke up, "Okay, so if you're gonna have this party, which you most certainly are, than you will certainly need music that people will like, meaning we'll be spending a bit of money in this store." He grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him into the store. "For the most part they're pretty cheap and there's a lot of used CDs that you can get for next to nothing. Anything you want that's too expensive, just give it to me and I'll take care of it."

"Errr… you're gonna have to help me with picking out the CDs, Ron…."

"No problem. They don't have to appeal to everyone, just whatever you like… and I like. People will bring their own CDs to play."

"'Kay…"

They walked along the isles of CD. Ron picked out a bunch of CDs from the used section: the Exploited, the UK Subs, Discharge, DI, Conflict, the Germs, the Circle Jerks, Crass, The Adicts, Violent Society, NoFX, the Subhumans, and a few others. Harry was incredibly surprised at how little he had to spend for so many CDs. Ron bought himself two CDs at well: Cheap Sex and PIL. They left the store, Harry pleased at finding a cheap place to buy CDs, and headed towards the other side of the mall.

"Got these for ya," Ron said pulling two CDs out of his jacket. He handed them to Harry: the Buzzcocks and Vice Squad. Harry grinned widely but then frowned slightly.

"I didn't see you buy these," he said curiously.

Ron smiled and said nonchalantly, "Nicked 'em."

"Wow, you did that for me?" Harry was glad to have CDs of those bands; he liked what he had heard of them.

"Don' get all teary-eyed or anything. I do it all the time. Not Kleptomaniac-like or anything though…"

Harry was a bit uncomfortable at the idea that they had been stolen but accepted them appreciatively nevertheless.

Harry followed Ron to the upper-most level of the mall and into a store called 'Anathema'. Even standing outside of the store, Harry felt that he didn't belong. The windows that showed into the store displayed posters of bands covered in piercings and tattoos, or else wearing leather jackets or all black. There was one poster of a guy with needles stuck into his scalp, trickles of blood running down a face covered in black make-up.

There were two sets of double doors to go through before going into the store. Harry found that it was because as soon as you opened up the second set, screaming music was blasted into your ears from speakers all around the room. Upon entering the store, Harry instantly saw that 'Anathema' sold not only posters but also a variety of accessories and clothes. In the back of the store there were shelves of unique shoes and boots as well. He noticed that there were pins like the ones that Hermione and Ron wore in a glass case at the checkout booth. Near the changing rooms, there was a stool that a boy who looked a bit younger than Ron and himself sat upon while a girl next to him pierced his eyebrow. A few other people roamed around the room, looking at posters, CDs, clothes, and accessories.

"This reminds me of one of the stores on Haight Street in San Francisco," Harry said over the music to Ron. Remus had taken him there once when he had been there for work.

"Haight Street?" Ron asked loudly.

"Yeah, there's a bunch of stores like this on one street… plus a bunch or weird stores too…"

"Oh, yeah… we've got one of those. Knockturn Alley. I'll take you there sometime," Ron called back, "So look around and buy whatever you want. I'm gonna look at some of the shoes."

Harry felt a bit nervous wandering away from Ron, but nevertheless found himself looking through a rack of belts next to a guy with a huge pink mohawk and a blue leather jacket. Harry couldn't see what he could possibly buy in that store without looking like what he was sure would be called a poseur. But then his eyes fell upon a black belt with bright yellow letters all around it spelling out 'We Kill For Peace', 'Why do We Kill People Who Kill People to Show that Killing People is Wrong?' and various other anti-war phrases. Being anti-war himself, Harry immediately loved the belt. It had a thin, bright purple chain that ran underneath it, but Harry wanted it nonetheless.

Ron approached Harry with a pair of big black combat boots (without the huge heel or platform that most boots have these days). "Been wanting these for months," Ron said, grinning. "Are you buying that?"

"Yeah, what do you think of it?"

"It's cool. I like it. It can be your trade-mark thing."

"Hi Ron!" said the girl who had been piercing the boy's eyebrow.

Ron turned around, "Oh, hey Wednesday."

Wednesday had very long and very straight brown hair with purple streaks in the front. Her eyes were outlined thickly with black eyeliner and she was wearing all black clothes with a band patch on her breast pocket. "Who's this?" she asked Ron.

"This is Harry, he's new here,"

She took one look at Harry and practically squealed, "He would look soo good in eyeliner!" before taking a black pencil off of a shelf, unwrapping it, and pulling Harry onto the stool. "Close your eyes," she told him firmly.

Without protest, Harry closed them and felt her trace along his eyelashes. His eyes twitched a little as she did this. "Now open them and look up," she said and then she traced along his bottom eyelashes. "Sooo hot!" she exclaimed when she had finished. She showed him a mirror. Harry liked it and he decided to purchase the eyeliner she had used on him. He thanked her and got off the stool.

Ron, who had been looking through a sales rack while Harry had been getting the eyeliner put on him, handed Harry a pair of shiny, black plastic pants. "You can wear them at the party." Since they were cheap anyway, Harry decided to just try them on when he got home. "Alright let's get out of here."

At first Harry thought Ron was talking about just leaving with the stuff, right there in front of everyone, but he was relieved when he walked up to the register.

"Hullo Ron," said a blonde girl with a green and pink streak in the front of her hair. She was pale with freckles and wore heavy eye make-up and a plaid scarf-like thing around her waist along with a few belts.

"Hey Ash, any job openings?"

"Nope not yet, sorry."

"Aww, alright, well we'll just buy this stuff."

They paid separately and then left the store.

Finally done with their shopping, they were heading to where they had first entered the mall when they saw a group of people that they were not at all eager to encounter.

"Just pretend like you don't see them and maybe they won't notice us," Ron said. Harry nodded but he doubted they would go unnoticed considering Ron was hard to not see.

They had nearly passed the group of people when a drawling voice said, "Look, it's Weasel and New Boy Potty."

Both Ron and Harry spun around to look at Draco Malfoy and his group of friends. Ron jaw was set and Harry just looked annoyed."What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron asked scathingly.

"Oh, nothing, nothing—are you wearing make-up, Potter?" Malfoy and his friends burst out laughing.

"What a fag," said Blaise Zabini. Harry felt his face turn red from both anger and embarrassment. He wasn't ready for this, they weren't supposed to find out so soon.

"Shuttup you fucking shit-heads!" Ron said in Harry's defense, dropping his bags to the ground.

"Ooooh, what are you gonna do, Weasley? Tell your minimum wage pig of a mother on us?" Draco was provoking Ron and Ron was rising to the bait.

"Say that again Malfoy, just say it again…" Ron was advancing on him, fists clenched. Harry couldn't just leave him there like that. He looked at Goyle and Crabbe who were cracking their knuckles.

"Ron…."

"Hold on, Harry."

"Yeah, Potty. Weasley wants to see if he can do some damage…" Zabini was part of the game too.

"Will you bloody dumb-fucks give up already? Just 'cause you've got nothing better to do then hang around a mall picking fights doesn't mean we're gonna play into your stupidity." Harry said courageously.

They all looked at Harry silently for a moment, even Ron. Before they could respond, Harry grabbed the redhead by the arm, picked up their bags, and stormed out of the mall, but not before looking back at Malfoy. Draco looked away as soon as Harry's eyes met his.

"Thanks, Harry. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me."

"No problem."

"That was stupid, them calling you a queer just because you're wearing eyeliner. How narrow-minded."

"Yeah..." Harry wished that it was as stupid to him as it was to Ron.

Bill picked them up again and dropped Harry off at his house. When he got to his room he immediately put one of the new CDs into his stereo. He tried on his new pants, satisfied when they fit him perfectly. They hugged his hips and thighs nicely, and then flowed down the rest of his legs. He went through all of his CDs that night, liking some more than others. It was about half way through the stack that he had the sudden urge to rip up some of his clothes. The music must have been getting to him because he found himself cutting long slits into his shirts, sweaters, and pants.

In another room of the house, Remus and Sirius were talking about him again.

"So, do you think that was the guy," asked Sirius.

"No. No way. Harry said that they didn't get along so he wouldn't just bring him around…"

"Yeah, and he was being a bit too casual with him…." Sirius mused, nodding. Remus looked at him, eyebrows raised and a grin spread across his face. "What?"

"Nothing," answered Remus, "Nothing at all…"

"Looks like Harry's really gonna have this party then," Sirius changed the subject, grinning as well now.

"Yup, I suppose so…"

"You saw all those CDs he bought… gosh I wish I could go to his party. Pretend I'm some party-crasher…."

"Wait, we won't be there?"

"'Course not! Tha'd be stupid."

"Yeah, but…parental supervision….we're cool!"

"You sound like me, Remus!"

A/N: K, that's all folks. I was a bit verbose so I didn't get to put in the rest of what I had planned for this chapter. However, the next chapter will hold the Lacrosse tryouts and I think the chapter after that will be the party chapter. And please do not associate 'Anathema' with Hot Topic. Sorry, I don't like that store. Also, about that poster with the guy and the needles in his head, there was actually a goth band that did that on stage. Can't remember the name right now though.I hope you all enjoyed and—

Harry: Well, you haven't gotten any flames yet, have you?

Me: No, I haven't. But don't jinx things, please.

Draco: Harry, you better not have a thing for Bill Weasley!

Harry: Of course not, but you can't deny that he's totally hot!

Draco: I guess not, I just can't believe he's related to Ronald Weasley…

Ron: Hey! You can't say that about me, Malfoy!

Me: Get out of here Ron. Nobody loves you.

Ron Fans: GASP!

Me: 'Cept them…

Draco and Harry: REVIEW if you want smoochie-smoochies from us!

Ron: Or me!


	4. Chapter Four

A/N: I'm not even gonna apologize for taking so long. Okay I will. SORRY! There.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I changed the last chapter from just being an author's note to being an actual chapter so if you don't read it… you'll be skipping a whole chapter.

Thank you to…

**Fiyren-Valkyrie- **I'm glad you think it's a good idea! Thanks.

**Fefs**- Okay, you can have a Draco plushie, a Bill plushie, and Fred and George plushies! You're too kind, really… As for Harry's make-up, it's not like a drag queen. I'm not sure how Good Charlotte does their make-up but if it's anything like how girls normally do theirs then yeah… it's like that. Tehe.

**driven to insanity**- They are cute… Gorsh, Harry/Draco forever!

**Ashes of Stars**- I'm so glad that you like it. Lol, we have the same name. Thanks for the review!

**DanishGirl**- You are too smart. Seriously, I was considering it, and since you left that review, I'd say yes.

**Kittygurl14**- Aww, thank you. Hope you like this chapter too!

**Tink**- I hope that this chapter fulfills your craving. I REALLY appreciated your review. I dunno… something about people pointing out what's good in it just… feels happy inside of me! I'll get Draco to give you smoochie-smoochies. Harry might be mad though! I dunno where they are right now….

**HPfreakout**- Sorry I made you wait so long. I'm actually feeling kinda bad about it. Thanks for the review though! I'm glad you like Ron.

**The Lady Morgaine**- YAY! You like me, you really like me! You, actually, were the one who made me update. So house points to you! Go punk rock! I'm so happy that you like how I'm putting the slash in! sob…

If you weren't mentioned, it's because I mentioned you in the previous chapter. Grrr… it's confusing, but it's cuz I screwed things up.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter NOT MINE!

* * *

Harry showed up early for school the next day, feeling slightly silly in eye-liner, a pair of ripped pants held up by his new belt, and a white button up-shirt that had huge slashes down the front and back. Beneath it he wore a black shirt and he just prayed that he wouldn't get dress-coded.

"Yes!" Harry heard behind him as he walked towards his locker. He spun around to see a very happy looking Ron. His shirt had blue paint on the front that read, 'Dickies' and his gray pants were covered in patches. "One down, another five and a half or so billion to go!"

"What on earth are you talking about, Ronald?" Asked an irritated-looking Hermione who had just walked up next to him. She took one look at Harry and said, "Oh."

"Let me guess, the Subhumans did it for you?" Ron asked vaguely. "I knew some guy that did the same thing when he heard the Subhumans."

"Err….I don't actually remember," Harry diverted his attention to Hermione, who's lips were pursed, and whispered, "What's eating her?"

"She's upset because I told her it was stupid to invite a bunch of her animal activist friends to the party and"

"Conforming with the non-conformists, I see," a certain unwelcome voice cut in.

Harry looked into the eyes of Draco Malfoy, resisting any attraction that he had and any feeling that he got looking into the malicious silver orbs. "Could you please leave, Malfoy? I really don't feel like conversing with you right now."

"Are you still wearing that make-up, Potter?" Draco said, ignoring the last comment. He had Crabbe and Goyle with him and they were snickering stupidly, "Don't you care what people think?"

"Not you, I don't," Harry lied, shifting his gaze to the lockers to their left.

As if on cue, Blaise Zabini joined them in their little circle saying loudly, "Oh look, it's the queer."

"If you're basing your opinions upon stereotypes alone then you better take a closer look at Malfoy, there. He seems to be the one who does his hair so nicely everyday and primps himself up," Hermione retorted before walking away, with Ron and Harry following her.

The remainder of the day was quite uneventful. Both French and History were boring, as anticipated, and Philosophy was just weird. Lunch was fun because Harry and Ron asked a bunch of people to go to the party and a lot of people seemed really interested in it. Harry suspected that there were going to be a few more people than he had initially anticipated. Just before the end of lunch, Ron brought up the music again, asking him which bands he liked best.

"Erm, I liked Conflict and Crass a lot and of course Vice Squad. I dunno, it was just some of the lyrics were really…powerful. They were all very good, but y'know, I liked some better than others."

"You're so crusty! I love it, I've been needing a crust-loving friend for a long time," Ron's face lit up.

Harry stared at him in confusion, and then said quietly, "Crusty?"

"It's like punk that discusses a lot of political and more worldly stuff. Anti-war, environmental sometimes. Good music."

Harry nodded in understanding as the bell rang and he headed to hell, or Chemistry in a more depressing word.

The class was all right all together. He didn't get yelled at, though Professor Snape did give him a number of nasty glances throughout the period. Draco Malfoy seemed to be less interested in disturbing Harry since their confrontation earlier that day. He was a bit curious as to why it bothered him so much.

When he got home however, Harry was once again brought to suspicion that there was something he was unaware of that he possibly should have been. He was talking with Remus and Sirius during dinner when he remembered to tell them about how he was trying out for the Lacrosse team.

"I'll be coming home late on Friday, I've got Lacrosse tryouts."

Both Remus and Sirius, at the same time, asked loudly, "You're trying out for Lacrosse?"

Harry looked up from his split pea soup, expecting to see happy faces but instead saw two very serious and worried expressions. "What?" He asked. "You didn't expect me to? I did it at my old school…"

Remus found himself, smiled, and said almost genuinely, "That's wonderful Harry, I'm sure you'll make the team."

Sirius smiled too, eating a bit more quickly. Harry wanted to say something to them, tell them that he was tired of them hiding things from him, that he was sick of all the secrets. But for some reason, Harry felt that he didn't want to know. He had so much to think about at the moment and there just wasn't room for anything else. And it wasn't just that. Harry didn't want to be a hypocrite and pretend that there weren't things he was hiding from them.

He changed the subject and dinner ended on an awkward note. As Harry was leaving, he heard Remus whisper to Sirius, "We should have expected that."

Thursday passed quickly with Home Ec., English, Math Excel, and PE (where Harry had still not yet bought his clothes). Malfoy had still not said anything to Harry. He knew that he should have been relieved, but he felt as though he wanted the attention—even if it was negative.

He went over to Ron's house after school to get everything in order for the party that they had decided would be the next day. They were going to go over to Harry's after he tried out for the team to set everything up.

When Friday arrived, every class seemed to drag by slowly. In French they got a seating chart and, much to both Harry and the pug-faced girl, Pansy Parkinson's, dislike, they were seated next to each other. Harry slept through History, and in Philosophy, Harry had gotten the distinct impression that Professor Trelawny really thought herself some sort of oracle. During lunch Harry noticed that a lot of people seemed to be talking about his party. He was flattered that so many people wanted to go. Why hadn't he ever thrown a party before?

"Crap, there's gonna be so many people going…" Ron groaned into his hands.

"I thought you wanted a lot of people," Hermione said, slightly confused.

"Yeah, but I don't want a bunch of oaf-y dunder-heads to be there, and I'm sure Harry doesn't either."

Not sure who Ron was talking about, Harry nodded his head. He had been staring out to the other end of lunch area, where the sun shone brightly onto the head of a certain blonde beneath the tree.

Chemistry arrived again and he met up with Neville to walk there together. They were in the classroom just before the late bell rang and they both received angry looks from Snape.

"We will be doing a lab on Tuesday and I would like to use today to go over the safety rules and lab regulations with you. I will not go over them again any time this year so I suggest you take notes or memorize them word for word. Any 'mistakes' this year and you will be out of this class faster than you can say 'Health Science'. And that is where you will be if you choose to not take this course seriously…"

It was the same speech he had given the first day of school, only with a few alterations. Snape then ran through all the rules and then gave them the instructions for Tuesday. For the most part, Harry wrote what Snape was saying but he tended to loose concentration in that class. He wouldn't have been so distracted however, if it hadn't been for the fact that right after that class he was trying out for the lacrosse team, and later that night he would have most of the Seniors and quite a few Juniors at his house. That, mixed with the knowledge that he was being watched at that very moment by Draco Malfoy.

Finally, the bell rang and as everyone filed out of the class, Snape called over their voices, "And I'll be assigning lab partners on Tuesday as well." Everyone groaned and Harry prayed he would get paired up with Neville.

After stopping by his locker to retrieve his practice clothes, he headed over to the boys' locker room, which he had yet to use. He dressed quickly as he had always felt uncomfortable getting dressed around other guys. It was stupid, he was the one that was gay. He was supposed to enjoy that kind of thing, right? He just always felt afraid that people would find out and feel weird around him, _act _weird around him. It had happened before. At his previous school, someone had just started a rumor about him being gay, and after that nobody on the team wanted to talk to him and he was avoided in the locker rooms.

Out on the lacrosse field, about twenty other guys were wearing PE clothes or old lacrosse uniforms. They all looked a bit nervous and a few were stretching. Harry sat on the ground and stretched his arms and legs. When he stood back up and refocused his attention, he found that there was a tall man with a strong chest but a large belly standing in front of them all. Behind him were five people dressed in the school's lacrosse uniform who Harry supposed were on the team already. Instead of concentrating on them however, Harry watched the man who he thought was the coach, as he paced in front of the potential team members.

"Alright, you guys, I'm Ludovic Bagman the Lacrosse coach here. Some of you may have seen me on campus," he smiled and nodded to the students. "If you make the team, go ahead and call me Coach Ludo. Now, I see that there are quite a lot of you out here today but we'll only be taking nine of you. As you can see we already have five members that we kept from last year but we still need two attackmen, one goalie, three midfielders, and three defensemen.

"I'm sure you guys are eager to show us what ya got, so I'll explain to you how this is gonna work. I'm gonna split you up into two teams, throw in a couple of these guys from the team, and you guys will just keep changing positions as you play each other. As far as judging goes, we'll just watch and see which position you're best at and at the end of the day your names will be posted in front of the office in you made it. The team captain, Draco and I will be the only people making the decision on whether or not you made the team. Get some equipment and we'll get started!"

Harry stood, staring at the group of people who were already on the team. Sure enough, right there in the middle of them, was Draco Malfoy himself, smirking like the King of Everything. He looked Harry straight in the eyes and sneered, clearly just as displeased with Harry's presence.

Attempting to ignore Malfoy, Harry picked up a crosse (lacrosse stick) and went to the group that Coach Ludo directed him to. The scrimmage began with Harry as an attackman, moving around the goal and getting the ball passed the goalie for his team quite a few times. As he played he focused on the game and felt his body loosen up and his senses become sharper. He was aware of everything that was going on and he knew exactly where he was and what he was doing. The lacrosse field was where Harry knew he could always find himself and feel like he was who he was meant to be. Even when he played goalie, which he wasn't good at, he felt like he was in the right place. He played defenseman well for the third quarter and finally, in the last quarter Harry was permitted to show them all just how much talent he had.

He took the position of a midfielder and as soon as the coach blew his whistle he was flying around the field, taking possession of the ball, scoring, maneuvering around players, racing the game itself. He couldn't feel the sweat on his skin or the ground beneath his feel or the bodies around him. But he could feel a pair of eyes on him. Harry didn't know why, he didn't even realize he was doing it, but he slowed down in the middle of the field with the ball in his crosse and looked absent-mindedly to the person that the eyes belonged to. Draco Malfoy did not look away; he did not sneer or smirk, or even frown. In fact, it seemed as though he was looking at Harry in wonder. Harry stopped completely, looking back at him and then—

WHAM!

A member of the other team ran straight into his chest. He fell to the ground, but quickly recovered as he got up and continued the game, as if nothing had happened, as if there had never been that incredibly intense moment.

The quarter ended soon after, however, and everyone got off the field to get some water, wiping sweat from their foreheads. Harry alone remained on the field, bent over to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from the back of his neck and walked around a bit, stretching his arms in front of his chest. He finally walked to where the coach was. It seemed the other students were walking towards the office, where one of the students who was already on the team was taping the list of new members up. Harry went to retrieve his bag and water bottle and then made to walk the same way. Before he could however, he was stopped by Bagman's voice.

"Potter, right?"

"Er… yeah. That's me." Harry turned around to face him.

"You played excellent today. You're definitely a midfielder, " he smiled jubilantly, "You lost yourself for a moment out there but fixed things quickly. You'll be quite an asset to the team."

"You mean I made it?"

"Yeah, for sure. I'd be crazy not to put you on the team. You definitely have the speed and agility for a midfielder." He glanced at Draco who was packing away his things into a red sports bag, "Draco, come 'ere."

Draco walked over with his gaze somewhere to the left and when he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Coach Ludo he looked up at Harry and sneered his patented sneer.

"Mr. Potter here is gonna play midfielder for us this year. You saw him out there, he was great."

"Hmm, I'm gonna go home Coach."

"Ah, alright Draco, I'll see you on Monday. And Mr. Potter, I'll see you there as well. Everyday after school, and you can drop your PE period."

Harry nodded and bid him good-bye. He chose not to change back into his regular clothes and instead walked home in what he was wearing. Elated, Harry's walk home was shorter than usual. How happy would Sirius and Remus be when they found out? Pretty happy, Harry reasoned.

Ron and Hermione had already arrived at his house when he got there. They were seated in the living room, Hermione talking to Remus and Ron talking to Sirius. They didn't notice Harry's arrival until he finally spoke up, "Thanks for telling me that git was team captain." Every head turned at this sarcastic remark.

"Ahh… Harry," Ron looked at the floor, and then looked back up to him, "Shit, I wanted to!"

"It's alright… I can deal with it."

"So you made the team?" Ron asked.

"Yeah!"

Everyone seemed very happy at this, even Remus and Sirius, though their happiness looked strained. They discussed the try-out for a bit, Harry telling them everything. Everything that didn't have something to do with Malfoy. After about a half-hour, Sirius and Remus excused themselves and told Harry they would be back by midnight, whether or not the party was over. They were going to go shopping, have dinner, and then go see a movie to stay out of the way.

After Remus and Sirius's departure Ron, Hermione and Harry laid out the food they had previously bought, the beer that Ron had gotten from Bill, the beer that Harry had gotten from Sirius, and the PETA flyers that Hermione had gotten from her animal activist group. They put away anything that could break and they set up Harry's stereo in the living room with a bunch of Ron and Harry's CDs. They locked Remus's room but left the rest open and cleaned up anything that wasn't already clean. It was seven o' clock when the doorbell rang for the first time.

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A/N: Harry and Draco are asleep. And I should be too, but I wanted to finish this up. Shorter chapter, I know. Leave me reviews so that I update faster. PLEASE, I NEED THEM! 


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: I suppose I have more than one reason for being upset at fanfuckingfictiondotnet. At the top of my list is the fact that when they went into read-only mode, they did not send me any author alerts so I probably missed a couple chapters from my favorite authors (which there are many of). And how lucky am I? The same day, I put out the last chapter. So don't get confused. Go read the last chapter if you were expecting an author alert and didn't get one.

I'm genuinely sorry that I took FOREVER to get this chapter out. I was a bit preoccupied with another story for fictionpress and my writer's block with this story didn't help. And then my grades started slipping and I figured, hey, I might as well finish the year before I write anymore. I'm begging for your forgiveness. But rest assured, I will update much more frequently now that it is summer time!

Anyway, I would like to say thank you to…

**Tabatha**- Yes! Crust all the way! Thanks for the review. Sorry for the long wait!

**Unspoken Prayer**- (x2) I really like your pen name! Anyway, thanks for the review and sorry it took so long to get the chapter out.

**Rock and Sarcasm**- Aww… I'm flattered that you think it's good. I wish I could have updated sooner. Thanks for reviewing!

**Optimouse**- I appreciate your review! Please excuse the delay for this chapter.

**Hawkenten**- Your review was so nice! Thanks a bunch. I hope you liked the chapter even if it took forever to get out.

**Ashes of Stars**- I know I know, I didn't update soon at all! I hope you can accept my apology… Thanks for reviewing though! Hope you like this chapter.

**Samilys**- Ohh… I'm so glad that you like it that much! I hope that you still like it after all of that time that I took off from writing it. Thanks for reviewing and especially for specifying what you liked about it.

**The Lady Morgaine**- Oh yes, there will be plenty of Remus/Sirius action later on. Again, you left me a great review and I really appreciate getting support like that. I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry that I didn't update before now. I hope you can understand. Please enjoy this chapter!

**DanishGirl**- Yay! You liked it! I hope this one is okay too. Sorry for the wait.

**Cheeseboi**- Oh yeah… Harry would be a very hot punk rocker. But Draco would kill me if he heard me say that… thanks for the review. Sorry it took forever!

**Tabbymogpuss**- (x2) I think you reviewed under another name too… the more the better! Anywho, thanks a ton!

**Sam**- Glad you liked it. Sorry the chapters are short and it takes so long for me to updaate (well at least with the last chappie). Hope you like it anyway!

**Val Mora**- I love your work and I'm so glad that you left me such an amazing review. Thanks so much. Sorry for the long period of time between the last update and this one. Hope you like it!

**Brittany**- (x2) Thanks so much for the reviews. I know I shouldn't have taken so long and I hope this chapter makes up for it a little bit.

**Chaeli.meep.- **I'm so so so so so glad that you enjoyed it. I hope you think the same of this chapter even though it took me forever.

**Mana Horikku**- Yes! This story is really your addiction? Aww… I hope this chappie was worth the wait!

**Freak in Corner**- Interesting pen name. I like it. And I hope you like this chapter. Again, sorry for the wait.

And... **TINK**- (x2) Thank you thank you thank you times a million. I love ramen! And Don't worry, I don't have much of a life during the summer. I'm so so so sorry that I forced you to review twice by not updating soon enough. Please forgive me. You may take back anything you've said before, just not the ramen, please! Tehe…

Disclaimer: Consider this disclaimer present and pretend that I wrote a bunch of witty remarks like everyone else.

* * *

Surely the neighbors would be complaining soon. How could they not? The house was blasting music and there were teenagers crowding the front yard nearly as much as in the house and in the backyard. It was already nine o'clock and still no neighbor had come over to ask them to keep in down. In fact, the young couple across the street had come over to join the at least seventy-five people who were drinking and dancing and acting like fools.

The doorbell rang again. Harry was perpetually answering the door, pushing past groups of people to get to and from the door while all kinds of different music blasted in his ears: Oi punk, oldschool punk, chaos punk, crusty punk, ska, goth, psychobilly, scream-o, black metal, and some other music that people had brought.

_I know what died that night, it can never be brought back to life_

_Once again, I know_

_I know I died that night and I'll never be brought back to life_

_Once again, I know_

AFI's slow lyrics were a nice break from the fast and loud songs that had previously been played, but they soon became quicker and more emotion-filled. Harry enjoyed the emotion though; it made his adrenaline rush inside of him as his ears throbbed with the music.

He opened the door to a group of greasers with leather jackets, cuffed blue jeans, and greased back hair. More of Ron's friends. Apparently he had invited a bunch of his friends from outside of school and then they had invited their friends. Harry had been surprised to see all the groups of different types of people at his door throughout the night.

The greasers entered, some nodding to him, most barely taking note of him. He closed the door behind them and made his way to the living room, picking up a random cup of beer (obviously someone else's) and downing it, on his way.

The song switched to Minor Threat's 'Straight Edge'

_I'm a person just like you_

_But I've got better things to do_

_Than sit around and fuck my head_

_Hang out with the living dead_

_Snort white shit up my nose_

_Pass out at the shows_

_I don't even think about speed_

_That's something I just don't need_

_I'VE GOT THE STRAIGHT EDGE_

Roncame in through the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard, "Harry, you gotta see it! The straightedgers started a wrecking pit!" Harry followed Ron back out and his eyes got wide at what he saw. There were about twenty people, most of them with big X's on their shirts and hands, that were in a huge, fast-moving swarm of slamming bodies and swinging fists.

It looked as though there was a crazy fight going on so Harry asked, "What happened? Why are they fighting? We have to break it up! Someone's gonna get hurt!" He was feeling frantic.

The greasers stepped outside and at seeing the pit, quickly discarded their leather jackets, revealing t-shirts with bands like 'Tiger Army' and 'Catch 22' on them, and then joined the mass of people. Harry's green eyes widened further. "Harry, tha's the point. It's a wrecking pit. They're not really fighting!" Ron's eyes were lit up with excitement and he said, "I'm going in."

The doorbell rang again. Harry turned away from the wrecking pit and took an exasperated breath and then pushed back through all the goths, ska kids, head-bangers and punk rockers. There was a group of people in a corner who looked to be doing something that Harry saw involved little speckled pills.

Whoever was at the door rang it impatiently again and again until they opened it up for themselves just when Harry was reaching for the doorknob.

"Awful music, Potter."

Splendid, just the person Harry wanted to see. Malfoy and his group of friends shoved past Harry. What was he supposed to do, deny them entrance? They had displeased sneers on their faces that made Harry want to hit them. If he hated the music so much, then he could leave. God knows Harry didn't want them there. Instead, he took another beer.

In the kitchen, Hermione and her friends were hassling some girl who was wearing a blue fur skirt.

"Do you have any conscience? You're wearing an animal!"

"Have you any idea how that fur was ripped from that poor animal's body?"

"Don't you understand that your skirt once had feelings and a language and a life and a family?"

"That animal had to endure such hard conditions, just to be worn around your waist for fashion!"

His head was spinning so terribly, he just wanted to sit down. Too much was happening, or at least that was what it felt like. Malfoy and his friends coming had been the final straw. Harry felt as though he was loosing his grip. The thought of the pale, blonde boy caused him to laugh harshly. 'It's my party. Why did he want to come to some freak poof's party?'

They had progressed to the living room and were standing by the couches, looking at something with disgust all over their faces, or at least those that Harry could see were. Other people in the room were snickering and whispering and Harry could even hear a few catcalls from the backyard. Harry left the kitchen to see what they were all looking at.

Amid a few empty hard liquor bottles, Dean and Seamus sat on the couch, making out passionately. Harry had not heard of their relationship and, even at that point, wasn't sure if there was one at all that went beyond friendship. As much as he enjoyed watching two guys snogging on his sofa, he knew that they would be upset to find that they did anymore in front of all those people. He shifted through the throngs of people who had gathered to watch. He wasn't paying attention to any of them and it was hard to make out their faces, but a lone figure in the corner of the room caught his attention. His eyes wandered briefly over to where Malfoy was standing.

The seemingly flawless boy had his attention fixed upon the two boys on the couch, without an aggressive or disgusted expression marring the perfection. Mere moments passed before Malfoy's gaze slowly drifted up towards Harry. Their eyes stayed glued to each other for only a few seconds before Malfoy dropped his gaze to his shoes, and then quickly up to his friends, leaving the intense moment behind, erasing its existence.

Harry continued through the crowd of teenagers and when he reached Dean and Seamus, he quickly pushed them apart.

"You guys! I'm totally okay with what you're doing but most of these people aren't. And I really don't think you would be doing this if you were sober!"

"Harry, Harry, Harry," Seamus slurred. His Irish accent was a lot stronger when he was drunk, "Ye need to open up to what ye are…."

"You have to let it out, tell the world…" Dean added drunkenly.

"'Tis all about 'The Rebels of the Sacred Heart'…." Which didn't make sense but Harry figured it must have had something to do with Flogging Molly.

They stood anyway and Harry directed them upstairs to his bedroom, where he figured they would be safer.

"Please don't do anything in here that you wouldn't be doing down there…."

"Och, aye, Harry… ye needn't worry…" were Seamus's last drunken words before he passed out.

"Sorry Harry…" Dean slurred, laying down next to Seamus, "I hope we aren't too much of a bother…"

Harry stood by the bed watching them with tight lips for a moment and then turned around and walked down the stairs as if he was walking to his death. The door was opening at the foot of the staircase and he stopped taking his slow and tired strides to stand at the second to last step and wait for yet more people to come in and join the party.

There was a shaggy black head poking through the door and smiling at the party. Sirius stepped in fully and when he saw Harry, lunged at him. Harry's neck was in his grasp and the whole party was watching, quietly as Harry stood on the staircase with Sirius looking fiercely at him.

"What have you done to my house?" He roared over the music that seemed to be the only other thing making noise in the house.

_Went to the fish shop_

_Bop-bop Be-Dop_

_Went to the chip shop_

_Bop-bop Be-Dop_

_Went to the burger shop_

_Bop-bop Be-Dop_

_Didn't have a long stop_

Harry and Sirius burst out laughing and the people around them who had just been preparing to leave with the arrival of the obvious owner of the house, were noticeably confused. The two embraced, still laughing and then pulled away with tears in their eyes.

"You can tell that they've both had a few too many tonigh'," Ron whispered to Hermione at the front of the queue of people.

Harry and Sirius finally stopped laughing and Sirius said, "Sorry, Harry for stopping by unexpectedly."

The party was slowly sinking back into full swing again, though everyone had been a bit shocked. "I don'tmind, though I'm sure Remus would if he saw this…." Harry trailed off trying to look through the tinted window at the top of the door.

"Don'worry he's in the car… Great party by the way… he's a bit tipsy and I thought he'd be better staying in the car."

Sirius and Harry walked to Sirius's room, which had been locked in order 'to keep drunken teenagers from shagging all over the bed sheets.'

"How's your night been, and…. Why are you here?" Harry asked.

"Oh we need to get more money. The movie was okay and dinner was wicked because afterward Remus ordered this amazing chocolate mousse and drank about four glasses of champagne. But anyway, we want to go to this club that the waiter told us about so we needed to come back for cash."

Harry nodded as Sirius put some money into his wallet.

"So… is that… special someone…. here tonight?"

"Unfortunately—and their not my 'special someone!'" Harry's expression was one of irritation.

"Sorry… so, do you want to point—them—out to me…?"

"No, not particularly." They were back at the front door. Harry opened it and pushed Sirius out, "Have a nice night and don't get too smashed!" And then he nearly collapsed against the door, thinking of Remus and Sirius, of how much they knew, thinking of Draco Malfoy who was suddenly standing so close to him he could smell his expensive cologne mixed with cheap beer.

Harry snapped his head in the direction of Malfoy, "What?" he asked, as Malfoy was looking at him with a disgusting smirk.

Malfoy sneered, "Nothing Potty. I hope you'll come to _my_ party in two weeks so that you can see how things are properly done. Most of your friends wouldn't be used to such a party, as they aren't generally invited to the events at Malfoy Manor. But they are more than welcome to come and gawk at what they are so deprived from."

"You're a shit-face, y'know that, Malfoy?"

Malfoy merely smirked and walked back to his friends.

"Ron, Malfoy just invited us to his next party…"

Ron was in the kitchen, bruised, Harry noticed suddenly, from the wrecking pit. "Are you kidding me? Ha! And he expects you to go?"

"Us. He expects us to go."

Ron fell in to a fit of giggles and Hermione looked on at him as if she wanted to do the same. Ron finally choked out, "The music… it's hideous… and… they all drink tea and wine! And… and they discuss money… and… When is it?" The last three word had been said without his ridiculous giggling and his face was suddenly eager and sincere.

"Two weeks… not sure of the exact day," Harry said, "What's it to you? I thought you said you wouldn't go."

"Ahh…" Ron said, imitating nobility, "That is where you are wrong, my friend. I simply asked how they could dare to expect our attendance."

"Wait wait wait," Hermione cut in quickly, "You're actually planning to go?"

"Why not? I could do some destruction or somethin', y'know, have a bit o' fun."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Wait a moment… what are they doin' here anyway?" Ron asked and then he was trying to pull away from Hermione to go find Malfoy and his cronies.

"Oh no you don't! You're not to be starting any trouble tonight Ronald Weasley! Especially not with the likes of them!"

Harry grinned, glad that he had made friends with such an adorable couple.

Time seemed to go by quicker as Harry sat with Ron's little sister at the kitchen table. They both drank a couple beers, and Ginny kissed him softly on the lips, giggling. Harry, too drunk to care or to realize what he was saying, told her that he would like to get to know her better and she grinned, giggling. And then when he tried to correct things by saying 'because God knows I need more frien's' she fell to the floor in her leopard print skirt and ripped fishnet stockings, not listening to what he was saying, giggling. Harry enjoyed her company nonetheless though and really did want to get to know her better, when he was more sober of course.

Harry excused himself from her presence to use the bathroom and by the time he came out (after pissing and barfing and cleaning himself up) most of the people had left. Malfoy and his friends had left and the Greasers and Straightedgers were gone. There were no more pretty emo or goth boys talking with their pretty freinds. The people in the corner were no longer playing with their pills. The halls were left with nothing but empty cups, beer bottles, and the foul smell of vomit. Ginny was asleep in her arms at the table and Ron and Hermione were cuddled on the couch. The last people there were stuffing their jackets with the remainder of the beer and looking for their date that had probably left with another person. Seamus and Dean were still asleep in Harry's bed and he was in no state to wake them.

Ron and Hermione looked up at Harry when he drifted to sit across from them on the opposite couch.

"Finally out? You've been in there for ages," Ron said, yawning.

"Really?" Harry asked, yawning as well.

"I'm proud of you Ron, you didn't get drunk of your arse this time," Hermione said fondly.

Ron smiled with pride, though his tired eyes took away form the expression a little, "You wou'n't know Harry but I'm worse than anyone here when it come to drinking. Includin' those oafs upstairs."

"'Kay get your sister. We've got quite a job in the morning, cleaning up this mess," Hermione said getting up from the couch and grabbing her cotton, non-sweat-shop-produced 'PETA' sweater. Ron got up too and shook Ginny awake and then carried her out to Bill's car that he had let Ginny borrow (though she didn't have a license yet). Harry made himself comfortable on the couch, as he would be sleeping there that night.

Remus and Sirius came home about fifteen minutes after Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's departure. Harry was grateful that Remus was too drowsy or drunk or both to scream over the state of the house until morning.

Harry knew that with all that he drank that night, he should be asleep. But he just couldn't after all the excitement of the party. Now that he was alone and not trapped in the midst of so many people, he could truly enjoy the night and ponder over how much fun it had been. He kept thinking of all the different parts of the night, or at least what he could remember. It had been like a movie. So much fun and so perfect.

But the scenes that kept replaying themselves in Harry's mind that night were when Malfoy had invited Harry to his party next week and even more shocking, the entrancing event in the living room. Harry thought back to those brief moments of eye contact. Malfoy had been the one to pull away from the connection, and it had been the first sign of weakness Harry had seen in him. The second if he considered what he had actually seen in Draco Malfoy's eyes.

* * *

A/N: 'Kay that's it! It's a bit shorter I think, but whatever. Don't mind Ginny too much, 'kay? She's all right, I promise…And for those of you who don't know, straightedgers are people who don't drink, do drugs, or smoke and theysware to never doany of that stuff ever in their lives (though many are reformedusers) and are usually very violent because they hate druggies (and to be honest,most would never be at a party like this unless they were beating the crap out of all the people drinking).

Draco: Finally decided to get this chapter out, huh?

Me: Yeah, but I've been busy.

Harry: What, with John? Is that it, you've been busy with that stupid ugly greaser?

Me: Partly… But I hate him anyway so don't worry about it.

Draco: Ginny better not try anything else with my Harry!

Harry/Your/ Harry? Possessive aren't you?

Draco: Yes, yes I am.

Harry: Good, that's how I like you…

Draco: Mmm… I know…

Me: Uh, you guys, please! As much as I know the readers would love to watch you interaction, could you please save it?

Anywho, review please. I need it to inspire me to update soon. Waaaay sooner than last time. I NEED YOUR **REVIEWS**!


	6. Chapter Six

**A/N:** I'm not even gonna make some half-ass excuses. I suck. But here it is my loves. Chapter six! Wee!

Just to refresh all of your memories so that you don't have to go back and read the last chapter: _there was a party, blah blah blah, Draco was there, an intense moment of foreshadowed love passed between our star-crossed lovers, Seamus and Dean snogged, Draco (rudely) invited Harry and co. to his next party, Harry and Ginny kissed (don't mean a thang), and the house was a complete mess._

Ohmuhgawsh…Thank you's…

**Intrepid Aarcher**, **Emerald Cat**, **ATadObsessive46** (I'm so glad you have fun reading it, especially since you seem to be able to relate to the scene. Well, that's what it sounded like at least…), **Moo**,** Rose of Ravenclaw**, **Kimi-Sama** (AH… I love your stories!), **Olean**, **Akuma Memento Mori**, **Samilys** (They will!), **Jess,** **Fox Loves Shinigami** (Not too many), **Isidoria** (aww… I can't answer your question cuz I'd be giving away too much, but… aww, thank you!), **chekiita**, **TINK!** (times four! Yay! I updated finally… haha… Seriously, we are too cool, you and I, PATMA rox, I can't believe you actually read my insane bio… freak… hehe. You know what? THANK YOU for the ramen!), **Pyrefly Deactivated**, **Sandra & Jenny**, **Abby** (Thanks so much!), **Bloody Corsets** (Proof that I'm a total American, haha. Thanks, though), **Axie**, **Bulisen**, **tabbymogpuss** (The AFI song is 'Bleed Black'), **Shakespeares Whore**, **MyOriginalIntent**, **Vixen-Queen** (That's my favorite scene too, and I love the Masquerade! Thanks for the spectacular review!), **LiLy MaLfOy13**, **Blue Lycan** (glad you like it), **Kirrashi** (ooh, I like it! Later chappie maybe!) And… to **Unspoken Prayer** (Beautimus, why thank you!), **DanishGirl**, and **Ashes of Stars**!

Eeek! 95 reviews!

Also, My friend Wesley (**Knight in Rainbow-Coloured Armor**) wrote his first story, **H/D slash** of course, AU, drug addicts in rehab (it's called _For A Fix_), and I'm shamelessly advertising it… Because I lurve him. So if you wanna check it out, DO!

**Disclaimer**: It's disclaimed. No lawsuits, okay?

* * *

Ron and Hermione showed up around ten the next morning, but not before Remus had come down for Coffee and an aspirin.

"He just kinda _stood_ there at the foot of the stairs for a moment," he told a tired Ron and an even more exhausted Hermione, "And then he just went to get his coffee like there was nothing wrong."

"Oh, well the poor thing!" Hermione exclaimed, "Just look what you did to his house!"

"Yes," Ron said with disbelief, "And you were in no way involved…"

Hermione "Hrmph"-ed and then set to work cleaning. Ron and Harry joined her and they cleaned for two and a half hours. They picked up all of the cups and beer bottles, they vacuumed and mopped the floors, they wiped the counters and the tables, and they tidied up each room to where it looked just as it had before the party. Most of their accomplishment was due to Hermione who was constantly breathing down their necks.

"She's like this with homework too, so watch out," said Ron, "Oh and meat, milk, eggs, fur, leather, and just about everything that has to do with animals."

Yes, Harry had seen her bravely hassling the greasers for their jackets the previous night. He chuckled lightly, until Hermione rounded the corner and he set back to work immediately.

When they finished they all sat in the clean living room, Harry amazed that his guardians were still asleep. Hermione rose to go to the kitchen where they could hear her rummaging through the cabinets and when she came out she had coffee and toast with jam.

"Aww, thanks 'Mione!" Ron said delightedly.

"It's not for you, Ron, it's for Harry's poor friend Remus. Where's his room Harry?"

"Erm… first door on the left upstairs."

She climbed the stairs and came down, grinning, a half-hour later. Ron and Harry were eating cereal at the table.

"What a kind and intelligent man he is!"

"Yeah... he's pretty great," Harry agreed.

"Oh yes, he knows all sorts of things and he agrees with me on the way animals are treated. Though he says that he has to eat meat for the iron…"

"Yeah, Remus has immune system problems or something like that so he's always sick or really tired, but he doesn't eat red-meat."

"Well, I don't eat any meat," said a jealous Ron.

Hermione glared at him, "But you force those mummy cows to give their babies to the veal industry just so that you can drink their milk!"

"I'll bet you he does too!"

"Ron, you are such a git!"

"How am I a git?"

"Don't talk to me!"

They all left to go to Ron's house, neither Hermione nor Ron talking to one another. Harry took advantage of the silence to study his two friends' attires for the day. Hermione was wearing a bright pink skirt (that went 'properly' down to her knees) with black stockings and a black shirt with white words that said, 'Got Pus? Milk Does' across the front. Ron was clothed in a pair of skin-tight black pants, his new boots, and a 'Vibrators' shirt. Harry looked at himself and wondered if people thought that what he was wearing was as bizarre as what the two people next to him were. He was wearing his trusty old Chucks that had rips and paint and writing all over them, his blue jeans were ripped as well, though it was less from years of use and more from personal will, and he was wearing a tight, black zip-up sweater over a white shirt (also torn up). He hugged his sweater closer to him. Yes, people were probably looking. He supposed it should have mattered more to him so he tried to look modest, but after a couple of streets he forgot about it.

"So Harry, Ginny seems to be awf'ly fond of you…" Ron said suddenly.

"Oh heavens… Watch out Harry, the last person that Ginny was involved with only broke up with her because Ron kept threatening him."

"Well, he obviously wasn't right for her," Ron said matter-of-factly, "'Sides, Harry is a much be'er person and I know him."

Feeling incredibly uncomfortable, Harry said, "Well… I don't really think she likes me…"

"What do you suppose that kiss was about last night, then?" Hermione asked. Harry knew that her and Ginny were very close.

Harry was feeling even more uncomfortable with that statement. They had kissed. Oh gosh, he knew he shouldn't have drunken so much. That must have been one of those dark spots in his memory of last night. "I dunno, we're only friends though… she's a very sweet girl."

"On'y friends now…" Ron mused.

They didn't go into Ron's house when they got there but instead got into Bill's car to go to the beach nearby. Harry had been to see the sea very few times and so was quite excited. The car smelled putridly of vomit and without close inspection, Harry found a spot on the floor that was a slightly different color than the other parts of the dark beige floor.

Ron drove slowly with Hermione sitting in the passenger seat bickering about the directions and his driving skills.

"I'm already going slower than a bum with a shopping cart!"

"Ron! They are homeless people, not 'bums'! Watch the road, you wanker!"

Harry watched the trees slowly creep by and finally the car stopped on a cliff surrounded by a short, wooden fence.

"This is where we go on most weekends, Harry," Ron said. They were above a small patch of grass that slowly became a long stretch of dull sand. Tons of people that Harry had met and sat with at school were there. It was mostly the students that Ron was friends with and that they hung out with at lunch, though there were a few people that were not. They were all sitting out on the grass or playing Frisbee by the water. A few of the younger students were chasing each other in the sand or having fights with mud. Even some of the older students had joined in. Ron, Hermione, and Harry walked down the stable rocks of the cliff to get down to where Dean, Seamus, Neville, Lavender, and Parvati were.

There was a huge tree stretching over a corner of the grassy area and it was casting a shadow over the five students. Lavender and Parvati were studying for Philosophy and giggling to each other. They were dressed similar to how Harry had seen them before: Parvati with golden ribbons and a gold brooch in her long hair, covered in flowing black and blue clothing. Lavender in a bright yellow shirt and black velvet pants. Beside them, Neville was watching the Creevy brothers who were taking pictures of everyone and getting sand pelted at them. Seamus and Dean were a bit further away from the others. Dean was lying in Seamus's lap, where the latter was stroking his colorful hair. Seamus, in a Flogging Molly t-shirt, looked exhausted and his liberty spikes were drooping slightly. It surprised Harry that the two were so open in front of the rest of their friends.

Ron, who seemed to know what was on Harry's mind said, "They hadn't told the school yet, but most of us knew…"

Harry nodded and followed Ron and Hermione to sit near the others, though more under the tree than simply in it's shade. They looked upon the water and Harry felt content with his surroundings. The people he was with were so wonderful. All of them were so different and courageous for daring to be that way. He was proud to be accepted among them. They were all brave enough to walk out of their houses, dressed the way they were, acting the way they did, talking about the stuff that they talked about, or just being who they were and they were comfortable. They seemed so unaffected by other people's opinions and they truly just wanted to express their own. Why not, if they really believed in them?

The three of them sat together for hours, talking about their lives. Hermione lived with her two happily married parents, who were dentists. She was an only child and she had turned both of her parents vegan. Ron expressed how, despite the lack of money his parents had, they had wanted to get their children a proper education at the same school that they had gone to, Northbridge. Harry told them about all of the different places he had lived, though excluding some of the details.

Both of his friends seemed to know enough about each other so they were mainly telling Harry about themselves. They also told him about some of the past events that had taken place between them and Draco Malfoy's posse. Some of them were rather funny (one involved putting a ferret in Malfoy's locker, which Hermione disapproved of) and others seemed like bad memories to the two (Ron had been suspended, had detention twenty-two times, and had been beaten up very badly after school once). Ron seemed to think that no matter who came out on top, it was always worth it.

"M' mum always screams at me for hours after I get in trouble but m' dad agrees that it's worth it. He just wishes he could do the same. See, he works with Lucius Malfoy."

"Draco's father," Hermione clarified, "He's awful… It's no wonder his son is such an arse, pardon my language--"

"Don't be giving him excuses, Hermione!"

"Don't raise your voice at me!"

There was a silence that was broken quickly by a younger boy with light brown wispy hair who approached them cautiously from the other side of the tree. All three heads turned to look at him.

"Err…hey," Ron said first, with a slightly irritated tone, "Who're you?"

"Ron, be polite!"

"Erm, I'm Kevin Whitney," The boy said, he was grinning slightly as he continued. He even seemed a bit excited. "I'm friends with Emma Dobb."

"Oh, she's such a sweetie," Hermione stated, smiling.

"So… wha' do you want?"

"Ron!"

"Sorry!"

"Well… I just wanted to ask Potter a question," the boy voiced, looking at Harry and Ron in turn.

"Sure, go ahead," replied Harry.

"Well, are you by any chance related to the Potters that died at the school sixteen years ago?"

Harry paused, but noticed Ron's jaw drop for some reason "Er, no… my parents didn't die here," he stopped for a moment and looked furrowed his eye-brows, "But they did die sixteen years ago, why are you asking me this?"

"Yeah, that's kind of a tactless question!" Ron exclaimed in defense.

Hermione mumbled, "Tactless… like you know anything about tact…"

"Hey," the boy raised his hands in his own defense, "I was just curious as it was kinda a big deal and I know a lot of other people that have been wondering the same thing. I guess it's just a coincidence that two 'Potter' couples were murdered in the same year."

"How did you know my parents were murdered?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" And he walked away.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno… but he was an arse-hole," Ron said quickly.

"Ron, tell me what it is you know that I don't."

"What's this you're on about, Harry?"

"I think I have a right to know as they were my parents!"

"Ronald, Harry, what are you talking about? What was that Whitney boy talking about?" Hermione asked, feeling left out. "Why am I suddenly the least informed?"

"Okay, okay… I figured you would have known, Harry. I mean, they were your parents an' all… It's just, after you told me they were murdered I talked to m' mum an' she told me (mind you, she made me swear not to say anything) that the murder had been a big deal 'round here, since they had gone to school at Northbridge—"

"What?"

"Well, it's what Mum said. Anyway, all she told me was that your whole family lived here 'cept your mum and dad and then they came into town after leavin' for a while and they were all… killed. If she knew, I don't see why you di'in."

"All anyone would ever tell me was that they were killed my some guy called Voldemort."

"That's horrible… That whole story…" Hermione whispered. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"Don't be. I never knew them."

"Why wouldn't anyone tell you the whole story?" The brunette girl asked.

"I'm guessing that there's more to it than that."

"Well, don't tell anyone I told you anything, then. I mean… If they di'in want you to know…" Ron trailed off.

"I didn't even know that they had lived here." Harry was so confused. No one had ever told him anything about his parents' pasts besides what they were like: Nice, attractive, lively. It was no wonder why Remus and Sirius had been acting stranger than usual as of late.

"Well, a lot of other people knew that." Ron said matter-of-factly.

"I guess that's why people are always looking at me weirdly now."

"That, and the fact that you dress like a bloody loony!" Ron exclaimed fondly as he stood up and ran as Harry grabbed at his feet to trip him. The latter got up to and chased him off of the grass and through the sand where they playfully wrestled each other to the ground.

Hermione looked on, smiling to herself at the childish antics of her two good friends. Beside her, Lavender and Parvati were reciting poetry:

"And the passionate love

That flowed so serenely

Between shadowed bodies through the night

Became passionate blows

Of hate and misery

Before the resentful sunlight's gaze…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Heaven help me."

* * *

The next week passed easily enough for Harry, almost as though he was already in the swing of his new routine. However, Saturday's news from the beach plagued his mind nearly constantly. True to his word to Ron, Harry had not mentioned a thing to Remus and Sirius, but he was slightly resentful towards them for not telling him something that he had to hear from a person he had just met.

Although he had just met Ron and Hermione, Harry still felt such a strong sense of comfort around them that it almost made him feel _un_comfortable. It was just odd to him how after years of being an outcast he could so quickly find two people who were not only willing to except him for who he was, but would except him for nothing else.

The three spent their time outside of school going over to each other's houses, cruising in Bill's car, or badgering people about Animal Rights (mostly Ron and Harry watched as Hermione harassed passerby's on popular street corners). Ron still wanted to take Harry by Knockturn Alley, though Hermione was against it and so was Ron's mother.

"You don't need to expose the poor boy to that awful part of town!" Mrs. Weasley had said to Ron. "There are far too many loonies and bums around there. And I certainly don't want to think about the addicts!"

"Mum I love that band!"

"Not the Adicts, the drug addicts that hang around there!"

Later, after Ron had told Harry of this conflict, he had assured Harry that they would be able to go anyway, he just couldn't tell his mother that he was corrupting 'the poor boy' by bringing him to such an 'awful' place.

At school Harry had become more used to the social statuses and he had made a ton more friends since he had thrown the party. They had come up to him at school on Monday, telling him that they had a great time and he had actually gotten to know a few of them better.

"Really, Harry! That was a happening party! No cops to ruin everything, a ton of sexy women. You are quite a popular guy. At least, if you weren't before, you are now," Justin Finch-Flechley had said to him.

"Lovely get-together. I adored the décor of your home. I do hope no one spilt anything on that soft rug in your dining room…" Luna Lovegood, who was one the less popular of the people who hung around the smarter crowd, had told him.

He was happy to have adjusted so nicely in just over a week and he was even getting used to his classes. It was excepted that Trawlany's class was bizarre, and Binn's class was bound to be boring all year, and certainly there was no anticipating that Snape would decide to change his mind and treat Harry decently. Yes, classes were going all right.

In fact, Harry would have said that everything was going just fine, if it weren't for three things: The truth about his parents' deaths, lacrosse, and Draco Malfoy. The last two could easily be lumped together to make one big problem.

For some reason, Harry hadn't been able to let go of that expression in Draco's eyes. He hadn't been able to let go of the defeated way he looked away. And as much as he tried to tell himself it didn't matter, he couldn't help thinking that he had seen something that no one else ever had. Why had Draco looked at him at that moment any way? Harry would have like to hope something that he would never voice, but he pushed that aside with doubt. Instead he figured that it must have been because Draco wanted to blame him. Maybe there had been a hidden eyebrow quirk, or a sneer, that Harry had missed. Draco must have been trying to say, 'Look at this nasty display on your couch'. But Harry knew that in all honesty that hadn't been it either. And in all honesty, he really didn't know what it was, which was why he was dwelling on it constantly.

It was bad enough to have to see the blonde boy in and between classes and across the lunch area when he ate, but it was utter hell to have to put up with him during lacrosse.

Harry spent three hours in lacrosse on the days that he no longer had PE for a last period, and two hours on the days that he had potions last period. It was tiring, but he enjoyed the sport a lot.

By the time Harry's second Friday of school had ended, he had already spent thirteen hours practicing lacrosse, not counting try-outs. Each day it was something he looked forward to, something that he knew would relieve his stress. But underneath it all was a tugging at his navel, not only at having to get dressed in front of all of those guys, but because he was going to have to face Draco Malfoy.

It was horrible. Draco was an attackman, and a damn good one at that. When Harry sat out of a game to watch, he was always watching Draco. 'Because he plays a great game,' Harry would tell himself because it was so true. But they didn't practice in all of their equipment so it wasn't hard to see Draco's agile body through his shorts and sweaty t-shirt as he ran with his crosse. What was worse was that many a time Draco had caught him watching and given him his awful glare, eyes narrowed, snarling lips.

They never talked in practice, like they would in class. It was okay to be immature and trade insults when in math and chemistry and such, but when on the field, when in the locker rooms, when getting instruction, it was only okay to be immature with dirty looks. Draco wasn't the only one with a scowl and a sneer.

* * *

Harry spent what Ron termed as 'a bleedin' borin' weekend' at the beach again on both Saturday and Sunday, choosing to keep some time away from his guardians since he was unable to shake his unhappy feelings. It was much like the last weekend, but so different at the same time. Harry ended up spending a lot of time with Dean and Seamus this time, after making sure that he wasn't intruding on personal time.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't have gotten you out of there before… well, you know."

"Hey, it was our own fault. We shouldn't have gotten so wasted. I mean, I should know by now what Seamus is like after a few beers," Dean chuckled.

"'Sides, Harry, it was about time we came out to everyone. It's not as though half of those people di'in know already."

"Yeah, but still…"

Seamus patted Harry on the back, "No YBS's. It's the gay man's fate, to have everyone find out his deepest darkest secret and then realize that it's better off that way. Do you get what I'm saying, Harry?"

"Erm… yes."

"Harry, Harry, Harry…." Dean sighed dramatically.

"Harry, m'boy. Dear, dear Harry." Seamus shook his head with eyes closed in amusement.

"The gay man's secret may not be known to all, but it's not a secret to all either."

"Okay. Well I better be going," Harry said hastily, standing in the sand from where he had hitherto been sitting. "Ron and I have to go buy tickets for the show on Thursday. Agent Orange and some other bands are gonna be there."

Harry turned to walk away quickly, flushed. Seamus called after him, "You know you can talk to us anytime!"

Mister Gay Man Harry Potter was mortified.

* * *

A/N: Not a lot of Draco in this chapter…

Draco: And why is that? You make us wait all this time and I still have nearly no role—

Me: Well, I didn't abandon you guys completely. I wrote another story and I've got a few others up my sleeve sooo—

Draco: You totally just interrupted me!

Me: Sorry…

Draco: I hate you.

Harry: Now you've done it. You didn't update for ages, you gave him a teeny-tiny role, and then you interrupted him! There, there Draco. It'll be alright…

Me: Okay, loverly readers. I got the scolding from Draco and Harry already so please don't tear me to pieces. I would like to have some nice reviews from you guys though, get me going again, you know. I really am sorry but please review. If only for our two lovers' sakes.

AND… I know you all want Harry and Draco to get together soon so expect more HD action in the next chapter… Don't expect too much, though… hehe!

Thank you!


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